WET suit vs. SEMI DRY suit
- Thread starter CAPX28
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Furner
Contributor
I am not sure, but I think a semi-dry has seals around the openings, like a dry suit. That way you get less water circulation.CAPX28:
MgicTwnger
Contributor
A semi-dry has gaskets at the lower arms/wrists and legs to keep water circulation to a minimum. They tend to be warmer than a wetsuit of similar thickness, but you do get wet.
RichLockyer
Guest
Yup. I've got one and it's nice, but it's still a wetsuit.
A semi-dry is a wetsuit.
Some drysuits are semi-dry
A semi-dry is a wetsuit.
Some drysuits are semi-dry
mech
Contributor
I'm afraid to pee in mine.
I think it would trap.
My Xcel is the warmest suit I've used.
I think it would trap.
My Xcel is the warmest suit I've used.
I have a Henderson 7mm Semi-dry. It is a lot warmer than an equivalent "wetsuit". In 60 degree F water, I dive it alone, and with a 5mm core warmer, down to 47 degrees F.
It does get wet, but the flushing seems to be limited to a single water entry. Which you should do, (make sure the water gets in) to make sure it doesn't squeeze you.
The Henderson suit has hyperstretch in a few strategic places to make it more flexible. Just don't order it custom...you'll get old waiting (10 months+).
And as mech said, say goodby to peeing in your wetsuit!
All the best, James
It does get wet, but the flushing seems to be limited to a single water entry. Which you should do, (make sure the water gets in) to make sure it doesn't squeeze you.
The Henderson suit has hyperstretch in a few strategic places to make it more flexible. Just don't order it custom...you'll get old waiting (10 months+).
And as mech said, say goodby to peeing in your wetsuit!
All the best, James
Semi-dry seal designs vary from simple rubber strips inside the arms and legs and around the neck to full blown drysuit type seals and in some cases even across the back dry suit style zippers.
In general a semi-dry can tolerate a looser fit than a wet suit and still be reasonably warm. The original idea behind the semi-dry was to make it easier to buy a workable suit off the rack or even on-line and to enable the company to make fewer stock sizes.
A great fitting semi-dry can be very warm and superior to a great fitting wet suit. But at the other extreme a badly fitting semi-dry will pump a lot of water past the seals and will be cold.
I have never had the guts to pee in a semi-dry and based on the amount of water that will pool in the legs above the seals after a dive, I never plan to pee in one either.
In general a semi-dry can tolerate a looser fit than a wet suit and still be reasonably warm. The original idea behind the semi-dry was to make it easier to buy a workable suit off the rack or even on-line and to enable the company to make fewer stock sizes.
A great fitting semi-dry can be very warm and superior to a great fitting wet suit. But at the other extreme a badly fitting semi-dry will pump a lot of water past the seals and will be cold.
I have never had the guts to pee in a semi-dry and based on the amount of water that will pool in the legs above the seals after a dive, I never plan to pee in one either.
MgicTwnger
Contributor
I've goa a BARE, and it's the warmest wetsuit I've worn, but it's no match for my (occasionally semi) dry suit. The real payoff for me is staying warm between dives on a cold day with the dry suit.RichLockyer:Yup. I've got one and it's nice, but it's still a wetsuit.
A semi-dry is a wetsuit.
Some drysuits are semi-dry
RichLockyer
Guest
Absolutely.MgicTwnger:
If the water is cooler than 75, I'm in my TLS350.
If it's warmer, I'm in my 3mil fullsuit.
I think you can have a semi-dri-wetsuit, and a semi-dry suit.
The semi-dry-wetsuit has really good seals on the wrists, neck and ankles.
A semi-dry suit, has a drysuit zip which is waterproof and bumps up the price as it is the same as a drysuit zip.
I recently bought my fist drysuit after 20 something years of diving, and would say get a good trilam drysuit, you will wonder what you did all those years messing around with wetsuits for.
I know drysuits are more expensive, but I figure the only reason that people dive wet in cold water is they dont HAVE a drysuit, rather they dont want a drysuit. They are three or four thimes as expensive than a wetsuit, but they last three or four times as long.
.
The semi-dry-wetsuit has really good seals on the wrists, neck and ankles.
A semi-dry suit, has a drysuit zip which is waterproof and bumps up the price as it is the same as a drysuit zip.
I recently bought my fist drysuit after 20 something years of diving, and would say get a good trilam drysuit, you will wonder what you did all those years messing around with wetsuits for.
I know drysuits are more expensive, but I figure the only reason that people dive wet in cold water is they dont HAVE a drysuit, rather they dont want a drysuit. They are three or four thimes as expensive than a wetsuit, but they last three or four times as long.
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